Infant food package



Jan. 14, 1964 J. J. HORAN 3,117,874

INFANT FOOD PACKAGE Filed Nov. 30, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

Jan. 14, 1964 J. J. HORAN 3,117,874

INFANT FOOD PACKAGE Filed Nov. 30, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 16

IN V EN TOR.

United States Patent 3,117,374 lNFANT FGGD PACKAGE John J. Horan, 4Z6 Quigley Ave, Willow Grove, Pa. Filed Nov. 3%, 1959, Ser. No. 856,222 9 Claims. (Q1. 99-171) This invention pertains to contm'ners for liquid infant food and particularly for such foods when they are prepackaged for single service use in the home.

i disclose herein the applicability of such material as the self-sticking tapes, tabs, coatings, and bonding films, as well at the use of release materials, in enhancing the usefulness of the flexible types of containers for liquid infant food which are made of plastics and other organic materials. Flexible containers were described in my Patents Nos. 2,628,996, 2,628,908, 2,628,911, 2,628,912 and 2,628,913. It is believed that the inventive application of these materials will permit the housewife to perform certain home operations on the containers with a minimum of effort and apparatus.

it is an object of this invention to provide prepacked single-use containers for liquid infant food at lowest practicable cost.

It is an object of this invention to demonstrate the applicability of materials and techniques of construction not previously used in the manufacture of liquid infant food containers.

it is an object of this application to reduce to a minimum the effort required on the part of the parent in making the formula ready for the infant.

Gther objects and advantages will appear in the balance of the specification, in the claims, and in the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional View of one embodiment of this invention in the shipping condition;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the embodiment of F1". 1, followin an operation performed by the housewife;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of a sli htly different embodiment in the shipping condition;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the embodiment in FIG. 3 following an operation performed by the housewife;

P18. 5 is a sectional view of a third embodiment of this invention in the shipping condition;

PEG. 6 is a sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 5 after an operation performed by the housewife;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of a fourth embodiznent of this invention in the shipping condition;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the embodiment of PEG. 7 after a home operation;

FIG. 9 is a separately wrapped nipple for the container of FIG. 7;

PEG. 10 is a sectional view of a fifth embodiment in the shipping condition;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 10 after an addition has been performed in the home md before the package is closed prior to feeding;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary view after final closure of the embodiment of- FIG. 10;

PEG. 13 is a sectional view of a sixth embodiment in the shipping condition;

FIG. 14 is a sectional view of the embodiment of PEG. 13 after an addition and prior to final closing;

FIG. 15 is a pictorial view showing the base of the embodiment of FIG. 13 in the final seamed condition; and

HG. 16 is an end view of the cup of the embodiment of PEG. 13.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a container having at one end a nipple 1, preferably but not necessarily produced by a vacuum forming process, the nipple 1 having an orifice Z, the orifice being temporarily closed for shipment by nipple pull element 3. The skirt i of the nipple 1 is peri herally bonded to one end of a tubular body 5, which may be of extremely thinavallcd material. The tubular body 5 is preferably of non-rigid material and, therefore, may be collapsed and folded for shipment if desired. A small quantity of dehydrated liquid infant food in either condensed liquid or powdered form is carried within the body when shipped. Qrdinmily, the embodiment would be heat seamed 7 across its open end after insertion of the food 6. A pierced hole 8 in m extension 9 of the body 5 beyond the heat seam 7 permits the parent to suspend the container for the addition of water and/or any other ingredient. Home additions are performed by first removing the contact-adhesive tab 11 and the release element it as an assembly from their position over the hole 32 in the body 5, while the container is suspended by a hook through the hole 8. After tie additiments are loaded by the parent, the tab 11 is separated from the release element lil, which is discarded. The release element 1% is of bond-resistant material such as is used for tape backing or inter-winding and it does not permanently seal either to the material 13 on the body 5 surrounding the rim of the hole 12 nor to the underside of adhesive tab 11. However, when the tab 11 is replaced over the hole 12 in the body without the intervention of release element it), its contact-adhesive undersurface seizes to the material 13 around the hole 12.; and the container is closed and ready for feeding to the infant upon the removal of nipple pull element 3, if used.

There are several methods of accomplishing similar results without departing from the technology and spirit of this invention. Material 13 may be the body 51111366 of the package itself with or without special local treatment. When this is so, the release element ill will have its surface on the side adjacent the body surface material treated so as to provide temporary closure end protection to the body surface l3 after packaging and pending opening by the consumer.

Material 13 may be an adhesive material print-coated locally on the body 5. Alternatively, material 13 may be a bit of double-coated pressure-sensitive tape which has been applied to the body 5 around the hole. In either of these two cases, the release element will not be tacky on the surface adjacent material :13. In both cases only a slight tendency to adhere need be invested in tab ll.

A wide variety of types of adhesive materials may be applied to the tab 11 and body 5. Their identity will depend in part on the basic material of the body 5. Similarly, release elements may be of paper, fabric or plastic, treated with coatings or impregnations of wax, polyethyle re, teflon, silicones and other materials such as are used on backing surfaces of various types of pressuresensitive tapes.

Referring now to F168. 3 and 4, these fragmentary views of the closure end of a container, otherwise similar to that previously described, are analogous to those of FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively. The primary difference is that no separable contact-adhesive tab is used for final sealing by the customer. The contact-adhesive material 17 is coated or taped locally onto the exterior surface of the body and is protected for its full length by the release element 15. Upon removal of release element 15 and insertion of additive materials into the container, the parent folds back the tip 16 of the body material beyond the seam 7, thus doubling back the contact-adhesive material within the fold, the two halves then sticking together and covering the hole 12.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, there is shown a cyl ndrical body 3%, factory seamed at both ends 31, 32. The choice of the type of scam depends on the material from which the body So is manufactured. For polyethylene and polyethylene-lined containers, for example, a very narrow heat seal is satisfactory. For other materials an adhesive seam may be used. The concentrate 6 has preferably been iniected by the manufacturer. The nipple flange 33 has been bonded over the openings 34, 42 in the 3G. The nipple flange 33 has a f ng hole 35 which may be used by the parent upon removal of release element 37 and tab 33 from the nipple flange 33, w. ch may have a tacky coating 43. Release element 37, like previous release elements lb and i5, is made of a material which will permit only a light temporary, peelable seal, protecting t .e contact-adhesive surfaces it separates. 'l'hese contact-adhesive surfaces are the external surfaces of the nipple flange 33 surrounding the hole 35 and the adjacent surface of tab 38. When the customer has added water or other additarnent, and when release element 37 has been peeled from tab 3 8, the contact-adhesive surface of tab 38 may be laid upon the corresponding coated surce of the nipple flange 33 to seal it. The alternatives g rding contact-adhesive surfaces and release elements, scussed in connection with P265. 1 and 2, apply equally to FIGS. 5 and 6.

Normally the hole 39, beyond the forward seam, is used to suspend the container from the hook during the insertion of additive materials, while the hole at the other end may support the container during feeding. Tab 41 is stripped from the nipple prior to feeding.

Referring now to I lGS. 7, 8, and 9, there is shown a container body 61} consisting of a tube having a flat seam seal 61 at the nipple end. Beyond the seal is a tabular extension 62,, which may be made up of only one ply although both plies are shown. 'lhis extension 62 is pierced with a suspension hole 63. The body on is shipped (FIG. 7) with a supply of concentrated liquid infant food (not shown in this fragmentary View) as in prior FIGS. 1, 3, and 5. A hole 6:: in the body 6% permits insertion of additives by the parent. This hole is closed by release element 6'7, which adheres removably to the adhesive surface 72 of the body of; surrounding the hole 65. Surface material '72 may be a strip of double-coated tape or merely a surface treatment that renders this area susceptible to adhesion. The nipple dB is shippedseparately wrapped in a seamed 71 plastic enclosure 6h. The flange 7% of the nipple 68 has an undersurface '73 which is susceptible to adhesion and which is protected during shipment by enclosure 69 which has the properties of a release element with respect to the undersurface '73. After the release elenent 6'7 has been removed and any additions desired have been made via hole es, the nipple is unwrapped and the undersurface 73 of the nipple flange 78 is laid upon the surface 72., sealing the m'pple 65 to the body 6% and rendering the container ready for feeding. The container may be suspended by a hook or other device through hole =63 in extension so during preparation and through a similar hole at the other end (not shown) during feeding.

Referring now to FIGS. 10, 11, and 12, there is shown a container made up of two primary half bodies, the nipple half tl and the closure half E i. Both may be vacuum formed. The orifice of the nipple 92 is closed with a cord-type plug %3. lhe two half bodies are cemented together along their peripheral edges. The closure half i is necked down to a comparatively small central opening 95 in which has been inserted a folded funnel 93 of water-resistant release paper. The tubularwall 96 surroundin the opening 5 has a contact-adhesive inner surface l 'll protected by the funnel 98. The funnel has been wound with an extra partial lap 9? which does not adhere to the adacent ly. This lap therefore, which may be grasped by its extension ill-ll, permits the funnel to be unwound inwardly from the wall 96 after filling, thus exposing the contact-adhesive inner surface ltll of the wall us. When. the added material, which may or may not be water for diluting or dissolving a supply 97 of concentrated or dehydrated liquid infant food in the container, has been poured in by the parent, the folded funnel 98 is etached by means of its extension 1%, the parent gen- 4 tly squeezing the tubular wall as surrounding the opening between thumb and finger and closing it permanently. The container will be ready for feeding upon detachment of the plug 93 from the nipple 92.

Referring now to FIGS. 13, 14, 15, and 16, there is shown a container having a tapered tubular body lit} terminating in a nipple ill. The container is sh pped within a cup 113 of paper and having a lip area 114 treated to serve as a release paper. The container slu'rt 112 (inside out in FlGS. 13 and 14) has a contact adhesive inner surface protected by its temporary adhesion to the release surface of the lip area 114. The base of the cup 113 bears a diametral score 115 that is adaptable to be split apart by thumb p'essure, permitting the container to be filled via this base when the score is ruptured.

After removm of the cap 117, the container may be supported or held in one hand by the lip 11dof the cup. The container may then be unfolded by drawing down gently on the cord-type plug 93, extending through the nipple orifice 92. Alternatively, the container material may be so flexible that it will partly unfold under the weight of the contents. The configuration changes from that of PEG. 13 to that of FIG. 14, after which the parent, by exerting a slight downward force, may pull the container 111 free from the lip area 114 of the cup 113 a little at a tine, and, by finger pressure against the lip area 114, may seam the contact-adhesive inner surface of the skirt 112 within until it appears as shown in FIG. 15, thereby rendering the container ready for feeding.

it will be obvious that various changes and combinations are entirely feasible and will become immediately apparent to those skilled in the contributory arts upon the publication of this disclosure, without departure from the scope of this invention; and such equivalents are intended to be covered by the claims. I wish it understood that my invention is not to be limited to the specific forms herein described and shown or specifically covered by the appended claims.

Therefore, I claim:

1. A nursing device comprising: a body made of relatively thin, flexible, water-resistant material containing therewithin a supply of infant food, selected from the group consisting of powdered and concentrated forms of liquid infant food, said body having an opening therein and having a sealin' su face over a minor portion of said body and adjacent said opening; an element removably adhered to said body and having a bond-resistant release surface, said release surface being in temporary peelablc contact with said sea ng surface; and cover means having a surface possess -g an affinity for said sealing surface, said element having said release surface being peelably removable by h nd from said sealing surface, at least one of said body sea ng surface '1 said cover means surface having a contact adhesive thereon, and one of said cover means and said body having a nipple therein, thereby causing said sealing surface to be exposed and rendered ready for final permanent closure by the applion thereagainst of said surface of said cover means whereby addition to sa food may be made through said opening, and said opening may then be permanently sealed.

2. A device as in claim 1, wherein said sealing surface of said body is extended to include said cover means, said sealing surface thereby being closable by folding upon itself.

3. A device as in claim 1, wherein the closing surface of said cover means is removahly attached toone side of said element.

4. A device as in claim 1, wherein the surface of said cover means that possesses adhesive affinity for said sealing surface is peelably attached to a second bond-resistant release element.

5. A device as in claim 1, wherein said element has two separable plies, one of said plies a release ply, the other constituting said cover means, said release. ply being positioned between said sealing surface and the said ply constituting said cover means, said release ply being peelably separable from said sealing surface and said cover means respectively, and said cover means seals said opening when placed against said sealing surface after said release ply is removed.

6. A device as in claim 1, wherein said element also comprises a guide against spillage during insertion of additives by the parent.

7. A device as in claim 1, wherein said element also comprises a temporary outer container for said nursing device.

8. A package for commerce comprising: a body made of relatively thin, flexible, water-resistant material and containing a supply of material selected from the group consisting of powdered, syrup, and dilute forms of liquid infant food, a nursing nipple on said body, said body having an opening therein and a sealing surface adjacent said opening and covering a minor portion of said body, said opening being temporarily closed by a first element having a bond-resistant release surface removably adhering to said sealing surface; and a cover means also having a sealing surface temporarily protected by a second element having a second release surface removably adhering thereto, at least one of said body sealing surface and said cover means surface having a contact adhesive thereon, said sealing surfaces being bonded together when placed in mutual contact with each other following the removal of their respective release surfaces.

9. A container for commerce comprising: a hollow body made of thin, flexible, Water-barrier material, said body having an opening therein and a sealing surface surrounding said opening, said opening being temporarily closed for shipment purposes by a release elernent lying against said sealing surface and spanning said opening, said release element having a bond-resistant release surface peelably removable from said sealing surface; cover means having a surface possessing an affinity for said sealing surface, at least one of said body sealing surface and said cover means surface having a contact adhesive thereon; and release means peelably adhering to said surface of said cover means, said cover means including a nipple portion, whereby When said release element is removed and replaced by said cover, said container constitutes a nursing device.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,330,019 Vaughn et al Sept. 21, 1943 2,628,911 Horan Feb. 17, 1953 2,697,531 Hood Dec. 21, 1954 2,876,113 Barton Mar. 3, 1959 

1. A NURSING DEVICE COMPRISING: A BODY MADE OF RELATIVELY THIN, FLEXIBLE, WATER-RESISTANT MATERIAL CONTAINING THEREWITHIN A SUPPLY OF INFANT FOOD, SELETED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF POWDERED AND CONCENTRATED FORMS OF LIQUID INFANT FOOD, SAID BODY HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN AND HAVING A SEALING SURFACE OVER A MINOR PORTION OF SAID BODY AND ADJACENT SAID OPENING; AN ELEMENT REMOVABLY ADHERED TO SAID BODY AND HAVING A BOND-RESISTANT RELEASE SURFACE, SAID RELEASE SURFACE BEING IN TEMPORARY PEELABLE CONTACT WITH SAID SEALING SURFACE; AND COVER MEANS HAVING A SURFACE POSSESSING AN AFFINITY FOR SAID SEALING SURFACE, SAID ELEMENT HAVING SAID RELEASE SURFACE BEING PEELABLY REMOVABLE BY HAND FROM SAID SEALING SURFACE, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID BODY SEALING SURFACE AND SAID COVER MEANS SURFACE HAVING A CONTACT ADHESIVE THEREON, AND ONE OF SAID COVER MEANS AND SAID BODY HAVING A NIPPLE THEREIN, THEREBY CAUSING SAID SEALING SURFACE TO BE EXPOSED AND RENDERED READY FOR FINAL PERMANENT CLOSURE BY THE APPLICATION THEREAGAINST OF SAID SURFACE OF SAID COVER MEANS WHEREBY ADDITION TO SAID FOOD MAY BE MADE THROUGH SAID OPENING, AND SAID OPENING MAY THEN BE PERMANENTLY SEALED. 